Button shank depth guide

ABSTRACT

A strip of plastic, typically incorporated into the shape of a plastic rule, is provided with a gradually increasing thickness along its longitudinal length. The thickness of the strip tapers between the minimum interstitial distance between a garment button flap and a button sewn to the garment to the maximum interstitial distance between the garment button flap and a button sewn to the garment. The tapered strip is notched at a plurality of typically evenly spaced intervals along its length at notches of sufficient width to permit buttons to be sewn. In operation, the side edge of the tapered strip is matched to the buttonhole thickness of the garment along the buttonhole flap. The nearest notch matching the desired buttonhole thickness and consequently the desired button shank length is selected. The notch is then positioned on the button flap of the garment underlying the buttonhole on the buttonhole flap of the garment. The button is sewn through the notch so that a length of thread between the button and the button flap garment of exact buttonhole thickness results. When the button is sufficiently secured by thread to the garment, the length of thread between the button and cloth of the garment is bound into semirigid shank by conventional sewing techniques.

United States Patent Lutz [451 July 29,1975

BUTTON SHANK DEPTH GUIDE Barbara M. Lutz, 3615 Fleetwood Dr., San Bruno,Calif. 94066 Filed: July 31, 1974 Appl. No.: 493,448

Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 33/168 R; 33/190; 269/287 Int. Cl. G01B 3/30 Field of Search33/190, 168 R; 269/287;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,558,966 7/1951 Lane 33/190X 3,045,354 7/1962 Frauenholtz 33/168 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS996,728 12/1951 France 33/168 [57] ABSTRACT A strip of plastic,typically incorporated into the shape of a plastic rule, is providedwith a gradually increasing thickness along its longitudinal length. Thethickness of the strip tapers between the minimum interstitial distancebetween a garment button flap and a button sewn to the garment to themaximum interstitial distance between the garment button flap and abutton sewn to the garment. The tapered strip is notched at a pluralityof typically evenly spaced intervals along its length at notches ofsufficient width to permit buttons to be sewn. In operation, the sideedge of the tapered strip is matched to the buttonhole thickness of thegarment along the buttonhole flap. The nearest notch matching thedesired buttonhole thickness and consequently the desired button shanklength is selected. The notch is then positioned on the button flap ofthe garment underlying the buttonhole on the buttonhole flap of thegarment. The button is sewn through the notch so that a length of threadbetween the button and the button flap garment of exact buttonholethickness results. When the button is sufficiently secured by thread tothe garment, the length of thread between the button and cloth of thegarment is bound into semirigid shank by conventional sewing techniques.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BUTTON SHANK DEPTH GUIDE This inventionrelates to devices for sewing buttons onto garments, and moreparticularly to a depth guide for obtaining the desired button shankdepth in the interstitial space between the button shank and thegarment.

SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART The sewing of buttons requires that the lengthof thread in the interstitial distance between the button and the buttonflap of the garment match the thickness exactly of the buttonhole at thebuttonhole flap of the garment. Surprisingly, this precise depth isoften difficult to obtain.

The prior art has attempted many solutions. For example, discrete piecesof notched material have been used to sew buttons. Where a seamstress ortailor encounter many garments of differing buttonhole thicknesses,correspondent multiplicities of shank depth guides must be provided. Theresult is an unnecessarily large number of guides which are difficult toselect and frequently lost and misplaced on the inevitably clutteredwork area of a seamstress or tailor.

Likewise, specialized button shanks have been developed. These buttonshanks usually are sewn in between the button and the cloth of thegarment button flap and have a length which matches the buttonhole depthof the garment.

The difficulty with these devices is that they have never beenacceptable. Not only are many specialized fittings of different diameterand length required, but they additionally needlessly complicate theprocess of sewing on a button.

Finally, concentrically expanding step tapered button guides have, inthe past, been used.

These step tapered button guides are severely restricted in their use.Not only is no provision for measurement of cloth buttonhole thicknessprovided, but additionally the depth of the shank varies as a functionof the diameter of a circular button and not as a function of the depthof the garment buttonhole at the garment buttonhole flap. Where squareor irregularly shaped buttons are used, such devices fail in theirentirety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A strip of plastic, typically incorporated intothe shape of a plastic rule, is provided with a gradually increasingthickness along its longitudinal length. The thickness of the striptapers between the minimum interstitial distance between a garmentbutton flap and a button sewn to the garment to the maximum interstitialdistance between the garment button flap and a button sewn to thegarment. The tapered strip is notched at a plurality of typically evenlyspaced intervals along its length at notches of sufficient width topermit buttons to be sewn. In operation, the side edge of the taperedstrip is matched to the buttonhole thickness of the garment along thebuttonhole flap. The nearest notch matching the desired buttonholethickness and consequently the desired button shank length is selected.The notch is then positioned on the button flap of the garmentunderlying the buttonhole on the buttonhole flap of the garment. Thebutton is sewn through the notch so that a length of thread between thebutton and the button flap garment of exact buttonhole thicknessresults. When the button is sufficiently secured by thread to thegarment, the length of thread between the button and cloth of thegarment is bound into a semirigid shank by conventional sewingtechniques.

OTHER OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OFTHIS INVENTION An object of thisinvention is to disclose a one-piece rule which can serve as a buttonshank depth guide for virtually all depths of desired button shanklengths.

An advantage of this invention is that no special button shanks or othernon-conventional sewing attachments are required.

A further advantage of this invention is that the disclosed button shankdepth guide works with virtually all sizes and shapes of buttons. Shankdepths are not a function of button size, but rather are varied only tothe essential parameter of the thickness of the garment at thebuttonhole cloth flap.

A further advantage of this invention is that the desired button shankdepth is easily selected. By the simple expedient of sizing the taperingedge of the rule on which the shanks are placed to the observed garmentthickness at the buttonhole, the necessary interstitial spacing for thebutton shank can be easily selected and provided.

Yet another advantage of the button shank depth guide of this inventionis that the device can be incorporated into a simple sewing rule. By theexpedient of spacing notches for the placement of buttons at evenlyspaced measuring intervals, the device can not only serve as a buttonshank depth guide but can double at the dimensions of the notches as aneasy visual and even touch sensitive measurement of the desired distancebetween the garment flap edge and the position of the buttonhole.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will becomemore apparent after referring to the following specification andattached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the depth guide of this inventionillustrating its taper from a narrow dimension at one end to a thickerdimension at the other end;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the depth guide of this invention illustratingevenly spaced notches along its length and showing the inventionincorporated into the side edge of a measuring rule;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the selection of a particularnotch for use to sew on a button by juxtaposing the rule to a buttonholeon a buttonhole flap of a garment; and,

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the apparatus of this invention being usedto sew on a button, the button here being shown in concentric brokenlines.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dimension and construction of the buttonshank depth guide A can be easily understood. Preferably, the guide isincorporated in a rule not exceeding nine inches in length. As can beseen, the rule at edge 14 is provided with a conventionalruler scale 16extending from one to nine inches in length.

The ruler tapers. It tapers from an initial thickness in the order ofone sixty-fourth inch at end 18, to a thickness in the order ofone-fourth inch at end 20.

A plurality of square notches are made in the side of the ruler. Foruniformity these notches are all of the same dimension and spaced at oneinch intervals along the length of the ruler. Notches 22 are spaced inthe ruler at the half inch graduations of scale 16. Preferably, thenotches are centered at /2, 1 /2, 2 /2, 3 /2, 4%, 5 /2, 6 /2, 7 /2 and 8/2 inches.

It should be noted that with this regular spacing of the notches at 1inch intervals, measurement with the rule is facilitated. Resort to thescale 16 to determine measurement is not required. Rather, the lengthbetween successive notches 22 can just as easily be used formeasurement.

Referring to FIG. 3, the operation of this device may be easilyunderstood. The device is first positioned at a buttonhole 27 adjacent abuttonhole flap B of a garment. The side edge of the tapered rule isjuxtaposed to the folded over buttonhole. The depth of a preselectednotch 22 is selected by visually matching the nearest notch thickness tothe fabric thickness of buttonhole 27.

Referring to FIG. 4, button 30 is shown being sewn onto a button flap Cof a garment. The button is placed so that the buttonholes 32 overliethe notch 22 in the edge of the rule. Sewing of the button 30 to thebutton flap of the garment C occurs by conventional methods. Similarly,binding of the shank occurs by conventional sewing techniques and nospecialized tools or the like are required.

It should be apparent to those having skill in the art that theconstruction of this device can vary. It is not required that it beincorporated in a rule or that the notches be evenly spaced. Moreover,the taper of the rule does not have to be linear. It can vary withnonlinearity. Finally, the construction of the rule does not have to beof plastic. It can likewise be of wood, steel or any other suitablematerial.

I claim:

1. A button shank dept guide for guiding sewing of a button to cloth,said guide comprising an elongated tapered strip having twosubstantially planar opposite surfaces separated by a first thickness atone end of said strip and a second and greater thickness at the otherend of said strip such that the distance between said opposite surfacescontinuously increases from said first thickness to said secondthickness, said strip having an elongate edge between said opposingsurfaces, said edge being interrupted by a plurality of spaced apartnotches extending between said opposite surfaces and through said strip,said depth guide adapted to be placed on said cloth with a selectednotch positioned between said cloth and said button such that the shankof said button is in said notch, wherein the position of said buttonwith respect to said cloth is determined by the thickness of saidselected notch.

2. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said strip includes a linearmeasurement scale extending longitudinally along said strip adjacent tosaid notches.

3. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said notches are substantiallyrectangular in shape.

1. A button shank dept guide for guiding sewing of a button to cloth,said guide comprising an elongated tapered strip having twosubstantially planar opposite surfaces separated by a first thickness atone end of said strip and a second and greater thickness at the otherend of said strip such that the distance between said opposite surfacescontinuously increases from said first thickness to said secondthickness, said strip having an elongate edge between said opposingsurfaces, said edge being interrupted by a plurality of spaced apartnotches extending between said opposite surfaces and through said strip,said depth guide adapted to be placed on said cloth with a selectednotch positioned between said cloth and said button such that the shankof said button is in said notch, wherein the position of said buttonwith respect to said cloth is determined by the thickness of saidselected notch.
 2. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said stripincludes a linear measurement scale extending longitudinally along saidstrip adjacent to said notches.
 3. The invention of claim 1 and whereinsaid notches are substantially rectangular in shape.